


Workplace Discrimination

by Aja



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-24
Updated: 2009-03-24
Packaged: 2017-11-08 02:25:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/438109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aja/pseuds/Aja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Look, I just want Arthur to keep ordering Merlin about and making him do things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Workplace Discrimination

Arthur throws the battered notebook on Merlin's desk. "Type that up for me, will you, I've got to present it to the board soon." He saunters over to his half of their shared office, leaving Merlin to thumb through three months' worth of notes on market shares and acquisition structures.  
  
"And when you say soon?" Merlin shoots him a dark look from beneath his ridiculous hair. Arthur reminds himself that this would not be a good idea to run his hand through it in the guise of telling him to get a haircut.  
  
"Soon means soon," he snaps instead, though it comes out a bit less commanding than he'd like, and much more like someone who's just remembered his A-levels are the next day.  
  
Merlin's glare intensifies. "Arthur..."  
  
"What? Look, the meeting's not til ten am, you've plenty of time."  
  
"You mean ten am  _tomorrow?"_  It's not quite a shriek, but it's still enough to make Arthur wince. Merlin stalks over, backs him against his desk, and shoves the notebook (which granted is less like a notebook by this point and more like a glorified coffee mat, with the stains to prove it) against his chest.   
  
"You haven't even gotten an outline together, have you?" Merlin demands. Arthur purses his lips. "Do you even have a coherent, logical proposal?"  
  
"I'm always coherent and logical," Arthur replies, a bit over-defensively. Merlin rolls his eyes and starts to open his mouth, but Arthur grabs his wrist, pleased when Merlin's voice catches in his throat.  
  
"You know I'd never give you anything you couldn't handle," Arthur murmurs, holding his gaze and leaning in slightly. He loves it when Merlin's eyes flash with that quick shocked look, loves it when Merlin gets  _surprised_  by this. And then the shock is gone, and Merlin's eyes drop to his mouth with a flare of interest, and Arthur remembers that the surprise works both ways.  
  
"I'd say I'm quite good at handling what you give me," Merlin says, his voice gone low in that shivery sort of way that crawls up the back of Arthur's neck.  
  
"Yes, I'd say you are," Arthur agrees, reaching up to run his fingertips over the edge of Merlin's collar, on the pretense of straightening it, but really just wanting to brush his fingers over that smooth collarbone.   
  
"It's a good thing I'm not your boyfriend or anything," Merlin says, watching him through his thick pouty lashes. "I could just quit whenever you order me about."  
  
"It  _is_  a good thing I'm not your boyfriend," Arthur agrees. "I'd have to fire you for sleeping with your boss." He leans in and follows his fingertips with his lips, brushing his nose against the side of Merlin's neck. "And then I'd never get to harass you."  
  
Merlin lets out a hum of pleasure and moves into him, sliding a warm hand up Arthur's chest. "If this is harassment, my standards of workplace discrimination are regrettably low."  
  
"I'm just getting warmed up," says Arthur, allowing himself one brief brush of his mouth against Merlin's, lingering on Merlin's perfect lower lip - before shoving the notebook back against him and stepping back around his desk.   
  
"You should probably get the final draft over to the printer's before they close tonight," he says, "so have it proofed and bound by nine."  
  
He grins in the face of Merlin's inarticulate spluttering.  
  
Merlin is always so much more fun when he comes home angry. :D


End file.
